The official blog of center fielder Marlon Byrd

4/4 Welcome home

Opening Day is a double whammy for me because it’s my first year with the Cubs and this is my hometown. This is going to be big. I have a lot of Sprayberry [High School] alumni, a lot of people who I went to middle school and elementary school with who bought up a whole section, so there will probably be 80, 90, maybe 100 people from Sprayberry so it’s going to be big. Fans get to check me out — again — being back in the National League. I haven’t played in Atlanta since 2006 so it’s nice to be back.

My parents have seen me play since then — they’ve come out to Texas. They haven’t seen me in Atlanta since ’06. Now, I’ve come back home and they can drive and go right around the corner to a game.

Everyone’s thought process with this team is that the playoffs start now. Tomorrow is going to be Day One of our run to October.

Marlon – Best wishes to you as you begin a new season with our Chicago Cubs!! I am excited to see you wearing Cubbie Blue, and can’t wait for tomorrow! I am also excited to read about the mind-set of the team, as we are all pulling for you guys in your “run to October”. Let’s play some ball!!!

Marlon, we’re thrilled to have you here. You showed us what you are about by helping the pitchers stop tipping pitches at the start of spring training. The team first attitude is much appreciated. If you haven’t figured it out by now, Chicago is an awesome place to play MLB. After the last three years…we’re especially ready to see the team have success…in the playoffs. Welcome, again!

I’m going to be rooting for you Marlon. You have some big shoes too fill as far as the blog goes. Mark DeRosa and Reed Johnson were very good, and i expect the same from you. Good luck this season to you and our Cubbies!http://carlosenriquez.mlblogs.com/

Hey Marlon, you already won over my brother Tate as favorite Cubs player. Looks like we all like the outfielders, because I take Fukudome as my favorite, my brother Noah has Nady, my brother Tate picked you, and my youngest brother likes Soriano, even though he claims to be an Orioles/Angels fan, Soriano is still his favorite MLB player, lol.
Good luck tomorrow, lets bring a championship to Chicago. Even one of the predictors on the Yanks-Boston game had Cubs and Rays (with the Rays winning), so it isn’t as out of reach as people have been acting like it is, and even making it to the Series would mean so much to all the fans back home in Chicago!

Hi Marlon! I was a big fan of yours for the last couple of years, and actually got to see you play once in Pittsburgh! My opinion is that Texas’ (huge) loss is Chcago’s (huge) gain. I want to wish you Godspeed and the ability to do your best for your new team…Play ball!

Hey Marlon! First welcome to Chicago. There are absolutely no better fans than the ones on the North Side.

Second: Despite what some people (one in particular) have said, the fans in Chicago really do want to love you and back you 100%. If you are a player who, when he comes off the field and takes off his spikes, can say I could not have tried any harder, the fans will love you even when you struggle. Go get em.

Hey Marlon! Welcome to the Chicago Cubs, we are definitely happy to have you! From what I’ve seen in Spring Training and heard from the media you are a very talented guy and most importantly you have a great attitude. We all know you will be a great asset to this team. Thanks for doing this blog, we all appreciate you taking time out to let us in on your experiences and thoughts and taking us into the clubhouse with you. I wish you all the best this season and I really hope you guys have a lot of fun…cause when you’re having fun we’re having fun. I’m ready to fly my W flag. Let’s do this!!!!!

Welcome Marlon, I am looking forward to better defense in the outfield and better offense this year. I wish you the best. I know the Cubs come into the season as underdogs, but I feel we have a very legitamate shot. We have much better depth all around this year. The Cardinals are the favorite, but they don’t have much depth.

Glad to have you in Cubbie blue this year!! Best of luck this year and I’m sure your dedication and commitment to winning will be felt by the fans and your teammates. Have fun patroling the outfield at Wrigley.

Hey marlon cant wait to see you put up big numbers at the Friendly Confines. Your a very talented player and a great clubhouse guy, which is exactly what we need. Goodluck this season and help end this championship drought.

Welcome to the Cubs Marlon! So excited to have you! I think you will be a perfect addition. Love what you have done for the offense and defense of the team. You looked GREAT during the spring and I’m very excited to see you during the season.

Too bad to see you leave the Rangers… Some friends and I are bigs fans of yours and had a huge sign with “The Byrd’s Nest” on it in left field. We were always out to support. Good luck this year with the Cubs!

Welcome aboard, Marlon…so thrilled to see you wearing Cubbie blue! Looking forward to your blogs, and wishing you and the rest of the guys a fantastic 2010! Just a tidbit worth sharing, but I believe that 2010 is the Cubs ‘magical’ number/year. Invert this number and you have (0102), and that’s how long it’s been since the Cubs won their last World Series title…102 years ago! We’ve got a great combination of players, loaded with talent, and I do BELIEVE the Cubs will go all the way this year! Good luck and welcome to Chicago! ~ Carol, Rockford, IL

First off, welcome to the Cubbies! I just wanted you to know that in a matter of days, you’ve become one of my favourite cubs players. You bring hustle, heart, production, great defense, and a great teammate to others. When Colvin hit his first HR, Cubs fans noticed how you were on that top step trying to get that ball for him, or when you hit a HR how you hustle around the bases like the classy ballplayer you are! It’s been a pleasure watching you play and I look forward to the rest of the season with you patrolling CF at Wrigley! I can’t wait until they sell “The Byrd is the Word” t-shirts at Wrigley!! It’s going to be a VERY hot sell this summer!

Hi!!! :). I’m also from Georgia. I’m from Douglasville, GA but i’ve played your school in football and baseball 3-4 years ago. I’m a juco player right now and seeing you play these last fews years with me going to what I’m going thru right now really opens my eyes to see the light, and there is something for me down the road.

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